Metal cutting and crimping tool



A. E. CUTLER 2,800,961

METAL CUTTING AND CRIMPING TOOL 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Oct. 27, 1955 INVENTOR fldolpfiusi'. Cutler- BY wzdw ATTORNEY July 30, 195? A. E. CUTLER 2,8009% METAL CUTTING AND CRIMPING TOOL Filed Oct. 27, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR AdoZ v/zus ECazfZer ATTORNEY METAL CUTTING AND CRIMPING TOOL Filed 0d. 27, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENT OR Adolphus E. Gail. er

BY Wa i 3 1957 A E. CUTLER 225M 91 METAL CUTTING AND CRIMPING TOOL Filed Oct. 27, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 v Ml m1 g%\ m% INVENTOR Adolphwsfilwlew BY @mzfl ATTORNEY United States Patent METAL CUTTING AND CRHVEPING TOQL Adolphus E. Cutler, Kokomo, 1nd, assignor to Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company, Allegheny County, Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application October 27, 1955, Serial No. 543,164

6 Claims. (Cl. 164-121) This invention is directed to a portable tool that may be placed against the edge of a sheet metal siding having a mounting strip therebehind to which the siding is to be secured wherein the tool cuts tabs in the siding and crimps them about the edges of the mounting strip.

For the most part up to the present the installation of metal facing or siding on buildings and store fronts has been on a backing of plywood or the like or on spaced furring strips by means of individually screwing or nailing the edge of the siding to the support therebehind. This portion of the siding along its edge that is secured by screws or nails is subsequently covered over by an additional overlapping siding member portion. Such siding units are installed relatively slowly at high labor costs, and in addition the plywood backing used is expensive. According to the present invention, installation costs for labor materials are reduced by mounting the metal siding or facing members on spaced apart metal furring or mounting strips which have been installed on the front of the building. According to the invention there is provided a special tool which cuts tabs out of the edge of the siding overlying the mounting strip and after cutting the tabs, crimps or bends same over the mounting strip thereby in an expedient and less costly manner secures the siding to the backing strip.

It is one of the objects of my invention to provide a light weight tool which may be positioned along the edge of a siding and receive therein the edges of a backing strip positioned behind the siding so that upon cutting metal tabs out of the elongated edge of the siding, such tabs are positioned adjacent the edges of the mounting strip and crimped thereover to secure the siding to the mounting strip.

A further object of my invention is to provide a tool having an elongated slot therein for receiving a backing strip and a pair of oppositely disposed reciprocating cutting dies having cutting and bending portions thereon which cut tabs out of the siding and bend same over the adjacent edge of the mounting strip.

A further object of my invention is to provide a light weight hand manipulated tool which may be slipped over the edge of a siding and which has a clamping element which presses the siding against a securing strip mounted behind the siding and passing through a central channelway in the tool such that a pair of die members are moved in the tool so as to cut tabs out of the siding and bend same over the securing strip while the strip and siding are held in close engagement with each other.

Still further objects and the entire scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter; it should be understood, however, that the detailed description and specific example is given by way of illustration only, and, while indicating a preferred embodiment of the invention is not given by way of limitation, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

Patented July 30, 1957 For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an isometric view of the tool according to this invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the tool;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation partially in section of the tool in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the tool in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an isometric view of the die receiving aperture and back-up boss in the bottom of the tool ready to receive a cutting and bending tool positioned thereabove;

Fig. 6 is a partial view of a store front having furring strips and siding secured thereto according to my invention;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detailed view at the front of the siding showing tabs cut therefrom and bent over the edges of the securing strip therebehind;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view along line 8-8 of Fig. 7-;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view along line 9--9 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 10 is a partial view of the tool with the siding and furring strip shown mounted therein with the die of the tool about to move down upon and cut a tab out of the siding and bend same over the furring strip;

Fig. 11 is similar to Fig. 10 showing the die moved down into first cutting and bending position;

Fig. 12 is a cross sectional along line 1212 of Fig. 11 as viewing the tool from the front with the first portion of cutting and bending dies having completed their work;

Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 12 with the second portion of the die cutting and bending surfaces cutting and bending in position the second portion of the tab formed from the siding and secured about the edges of the backing strip; and

Fig. 14 is an isometric rear view of the formed tabs bent into securing position about the flat flanges of a channel shaped securing strip at the back of a siding.

Throughout the description like reference numerals refer to similar parts.

A tool according to my invention is generally indicated at 10 and comprises a flat bottom portion 11 provided with an open bottom channelway 12 therein extending from front to back whereby end bottom portions 13 and 14 are formed and a vertically upstanding top portion generally indicated at 15. The top portion 15 has a centrally disposed upstanding boss 16 with a forwardly projecting lug 17 having apertured bifurcations 18 extending upwardly therefrom While the rear of the top portion 15 has a rearwardly extending lug 19 directly behind the forwardly extending lug 17 and within which lug 19 there is attached a fixed handle 20 having an upwardly extending portion 20' formed with a suitable wedge shaped surface 20" at the extreme end.

Referring to the fiat bottom portion 11, each end bottom portion 13 and 14 have a horizontally disposed narrow slots 21 and 22 formed respectively therein in alignment along the front edge within which is received the elongated fiat edge portion of a siding S to be described hereinafter. Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 each of the ends portions 13 and 14 have vertically disposed die receiving passageways therein as indicated at 23 for end 13 and 24 for 14 which extend transverse to the elongated slots 21 and 22 respectively. Thus, there is mounted in the tool the elongated flat edge S of the siding S such that it extends fully across the front of the tool within the slots 21 and 22 which are in alignment. Positioned below siding S in the channelway 12 is a backing strip here shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 as a furring strip F having upstanding legs P1 and F2 and outwardly disposed flanges F3 and F4 which are positioned flat against the back of the siding S. Use is made of this tool to form the tabs T from the flat elongated portion 8' of the siding and to bend same over the flanges F3 and F4 of the furring strip F. Each of the tabs T have an elongated first portion Ti. cut and bent from a siding and a second elongated portion T2 which is slightly longer than the first tab portion T1 so as to provide for neat bending of portion T1 underneath and in abutting relationship against the .rear of the flanges F3 and F4 of the furring strip F as indicated at T in the elongated flat edge S of the siding.

In the showing in Fig. 6 the exposed tab holes in the elongated edge S1 will be covered up by the next strip of siding S (not shown) which will lie thereover and e be secured in a similar fashion at its other edge. Suitable means are provided as shown in Fig. 8 for securing the uncut edge of the next siding piece over the edge of the siding having the tabs formed therefrom. Applicant has provided a novel means for forming the tabs and for securing same to the edges of the securing strip as here shown. 7

Referring back to Figs. 1 and 2-the vertically extending passageway 23 is formed with an upper ofiset portion 23 as is the die receiving vertical'passageway 24 in the end 14 as at 24'. In alignment with these passageways 23 and 24 there is formed in the top member of the tool vertically extending die member receiving passageways 25 and 26 in alignment with passageways 23 and 24. These passageways 25 and 26 are open at their outer faces in the top member 15 and receive a U-shaped die member generally indicated at 27 having leg portions 28 and 29 and a bight central portion 30, the latter of which has upstanding bifurcated lugs 31 formed therein. These lugs 31 are apertured to receive a pin 32% are the bifurcated portions 18 which receive a pin 33. Mounted in these bifurcations is a second handle member 24 having a flattened end portion 34' and an elongated slot 35 spaced inward from the outer apertured end which is. received between the bifurcations 18 and held thereinby means of pin 33. The elongated slot 35 receives the pin 32 which extends between the bifurcations 31. The handle 34 has a hand grasp portion 34 which extends upwardly at an angle similar to the angled portion 20' on handle 20, the fixed handle. 7 Thus, the. die member generally indicated at 27 is reciprocated within the slots 25 and 26 by means of the pivoted handle 34 and when the handle portion 34" is brought closer to the handle portion 20' the lower die ends of the die members 28 and 29 7 move down through the slots 23 and 24.

Reference to Fig. 5 shows typical lower end of die member 28 and the vertically extending passageway 23 in the bottom end portion 13' which is below the elongated horizontal slot 21. This lower portion 13 adjacent the vertical aperture 23 has formed in one wall thereof an outwardly extending boss 36 having a straight outer edge as shown in Fig. 5 and a curved inner edge 36' also shown in Fig. 5. This boss 36 serves to support the siding thereabove when the first tab portion T1 is cut and bent therefrom as will presently be described. The die member 28isformed with a first cutting and bending portion generally indicated at 37 for forming the tab portion T1 and a second cutting and bending or crimping portion generally indicated at 38'. for forming the tab portion T2. Die member 37 is formed with a leading cutting edge 39 which is shorter than the adjacent width of the passageway 23 there having been cut out of the die member 28 an elongated rectangular portion as indicated at 40 which provides an elongated void space in the lower end of member 28 in alignment with the backup boss 36. Thus, the first cutting and bending die por- 2,800,961 V o T tion 37 cuts a slightly shorter in length elongated tab portion T1 so that the material left in the tab at the bend portion adjacent the edge of the backingstrip spaces the tab portion T1 so that it clears the thickness of the.

edge of the securing strip as indicated at F3 and F4. Still referring to the first die portion 37 and rear of the die drops off as at 41 in a curved manner at each end as indicated at 41 and 42 which ends arecutting edges in forming the elongated tab portion T1. Thus, the first portion 37 cuts along edge 39'and edges 41 and 42 while it bends along the curved dropping oif surface 43. The other die portion 38 has a cutting edge 44 and a further edge 45 while the bending surface is indicated at 46. In construction of the face portions 13 and 14 the front edge defining the vertical passageway 23 and 24, as indicated in Fig. 5 for 23, has a slanting face 13" in that end member which facilitates the removal of the tool from the siding once tabs have been formed therefrom and bent over the securing strip therebehind.

To assist in the operation of the tool and the cutting and bending, there is provided a support element in the form of a plunger or piston member 47, see Fig. 3, which extends down into a well 48 formed in the top member 15 in alignment with the die member 27. The lower end of well 48 is formed with an aperture 49 therethrough through which the plunger 47 may move. This plunger is secured at its upper end within the bight portion 30 of the die member 27. Within the well 48 and around the plunger 47 is a compression spring 50 which seats in the bottom of the well and rests against the lower portion of the bight 30 and serves to bias the die member 27 in its retracted position as shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 3. The lower end of piston 47 is formed with a slightly tapered point so as to impinge against the siding member in order to hold it tightly against the furring strip during the terminal position of the cutting and bending operation.

This also presses down in the center span of the siding between the legs of the furring strip and maintains the fiat alignment of the elongated edge 8'. of the siding S.

Reference to Fig. 8 shows the furring strip F and the flange F3 thereof supporting thereover the elongated flat portion S of siding S from which is formed the tab T having the first portion T1 bent generally transverse or at approximate right angles to the second tab portion T2 such that the tab portion T1 extends underneath the flange F3 and holds the siding S tightly secure to the furring strip while the tab T2'is crimped over the edge thereadjacent of the flange F3 to prevent any endwise movement of the strip S1.

7 Reference to Fig. 10 shows the first die portion 37 about to make the cut and bend to form the tab portion T1. The first die and bending portion 37 moves down against the siding S which is supported there underneath and especially by the boss 36. Reference to Fig. 11 shows the first tab portion T1 having been first cut and then being. bent by the portion 43 of the first die portion. 7 Reference to Fig. 12 shows the bent down tab portion T1 and the initial start of the second die portion 38 on each of the die members 28 and 29 while in Fig. 13 the die members 28 and 29 have moved further down and the tab portion T2 has been bent down over the edge of the flange portion F3 and F4. Plunger 47 pushes against the span of the elongated strip S1 so as to keep it from buckling during the completion of the bending of the curved portion 46 of the second die element 38.

Reference to Fig. 14 shows the assembled relationship as viewed from the back wherein the tapered portion T1 and T2 extend generally at right angles to each other with the tab portion Tl lying beneath the flanges F3 and portions and pressure receiving portions may be made of suitable hardened steel that will withstand repeated usage. Usually the siding material ,8 is of aluminum stock and it is relatively soft and can be cut and bent with facility. Use of this tool greatly speeds up the operation of installing store fronts and thus greatly reduces the cost of installation. At the same time when use is made of furring strips they may be easily aligned as contrasted with the installation of plywood backing solid members which would require considerable plumbing to be sure of having an aligned backing surface. The furring strips are easily brought into alignment by shimming spaced therebehind when they are installed on the building front and the siding is easily and securely installed thereon.

I claim as my invention:

1. A clinching tool for forming a tab in metal siding and clinching it about an edge of a mounting strip, said siding having an elongated fiat edge portion and said mounting strip being positioned behind the siding and extending generally transversely to the longitudinal edge and having edges lying against the rear of said siding, said tool comprising a body having an elongated flat bottom portion provided with an open bottom channelway extending from front to back therethrough whereby end bottom portions are formed, said channelway being adapted to receive said mounting strip, and a vertically disposed upstanding top portion extending upwardly from said flat body portion and having a forwardly extending front lug and a rearwardly extending rear lug, said front lug having a bifurcated upstanding portion on the front thereof and said rear lug having a rearwardly extending handle projecting therefrom, said end bottom portions having a horizontally disposed slot extending thereinto along their front for receiving the elongated flat edge portion of the siding, each of said end portions in the bottom having vertically disposed die receiving passageways therein passing transversely to said slot in each end and opening into said channelway in the bottom portion, said upstanding top portion having vertically extending die passageways therein in alignment with each of said dies passageways in said bottom end portions, a U-shaped die body having the legs thereof slidably received in said aligned die passageways in the top and the bottom portions of the body and the bight portion thereof having an upstanding bifurcated lug in alignment with said bifurcated portion on the front lug, a lever member extending to the rear of said body and lying over said handle and having a transversely extending aperture in the front end and a slotted transverse aperture spaced inward from said end, said bifurcations on the front lug and said die member having transverse aligned apertures therethrough, pin means extending through said apertures in the bifurcations and said apertures in the lever whereby pivotal movement of said lever toward and away from said handle causes said die body to reciprocate in said die passageways, each of said legs of the die body having a first cutting and bending die portion to cut an elongated tab portion in the elongated flat edge of the siding inserted in said elongated narrow slots and a second cutting and bending portion disposed in trailing relation to said first portion for cutting and bending a further and longer elongated tab portion integral with said first tab portion whereby said first tab portion will form substantially a right angle with said second tab portion and an edge of the first portion of the tab Will be positioned underneath and against the back surface of the edge of said mounting strip while said second tab portion will be bent over the adjacent edge of said mounting strip and will extend transversely thereto, and said first tab portions of each formed tab will extend toward each other and hold said siding tightly against said mounting strip.

2. A clinching tool for forming a tab in metal siding and clinching it about an edge of a mounting strip, said siding having an elongated fiat edge portion and said mounting strip being positioned behind the siding and extending generally transversely to the longitudinal edge and having edges lying against the rear of said siding, said tool comprising a body having an elongated flat bottom portion provided with an open bottom channelway extending from front to back therethrough whereby end bottom portions are formed, and a vertically disposed upstanding top portion extending upwardly from said flat body portion and having a rearwardly extending rear lug and a bifurcated upstanding portion on the front thereof, said rear lug having a rearwardly extending handleprojecting therefrom, said end bottom portions having a horizontally disposed narrow slot extending thereinto along their front for receiving said elongated flat edge of the siding, each of said end portions in the bottom having vertically disposed die receiving passageways therein passing transversely to said slot in each end and opening into said channelway in the bottom portion, said upstanding top portion having vertically extending die passageways therein in alignment with each of said die passageways in said bottom end portions, a U-shaped die body having the legs thereof slidably received in said aligned die passageways in the top and bottom portions of the body and the bight portion thereof having an upstanding bifurcated lug in alignment with said bifurcated upstanding front portion, a lever member extending to the rear of said body and lying over said handle and having a transversely extending aperture in the front end and a slotted transverse aperture spaced inward from said end, said bifurcations on the top and said die member having transverse aligned apertures therethrough, pin means extending through said apertures in the bifurcations and said apertures in the lever whereby pivotal movement of said lever toward and away from said handle causes said die body to reciprocate in said die passageways, each of said legs of the die body having a first cutting and bending die portion to cut an elongated tab portion in the elongated flat edge of the siding inserted in said elongated narrow slots and a second cutting and bending portion disposed in trailing relation to said first portion for cutting and bending a further and longer elongated tab portion integral with said first tab portion, each of said end portions of the bottom having formed therein a projecting boss in said vertically disposed die receiving passageways lying adjacent said narrow siding receiving slot and at an end of said first die portion to support the siding when said first tab portion is cut and bent, whereby said first tab portion will form substantially a right angle with said second tab portion and an edge of the first portion of the tab will be positioned underneath and against the back surface of the edge of said mounting strip while said second tab portion will be bent over the adjacent edge of said mounting strip and will extend transversely thereto, and said first tab portions of each formed tab will extend toward each other and hold said siding tightly against said mounting strip.

3. A clinching tool for forming a tab in an elongated edge portion of metal siding and clinching it about an edge of a mounting strip positioned in abutting relation to said siding, and extending generally transversely thereto, said tool comprising a body having an elongated narrow slot extending into one face of said body for receiving therein the elongated edge of said siding, a centrally disposed recess open at one side and extending generally transversely to the narrow slot to receive said securing strip so that edge portions on the strip will abut the elongated edge of the siding, said body having a pair of die receiving passageways therein extending transversely to said elongated narrow slots and opening on one face into said centrally disposed recess, a die member reciprocably mounted in each of said die receiving passageways, said dies having on the bottom thereof first cutting and bending portions to cut a first rectangular-like tab portion in the elongated siding portion adjacent each edge bending portions for cutting a second and integral porftion to the first tab portion of rectangular-like shape along two edges and bending same .over the extreme outer .edge ofthe mounting strip whereupon said first tab portion of each of the formed tabs willextend at an ap- I ing lug forwardly ofand spaced from said lug on the die body; a die body actuating elongated handle pivotally secured at its forward end to saidforward lug and provided with an elongatedslot extending in the lengthwise direction of the handle adjacent the lug on the die body, a pin extending through said slot in the handle and secured to' said adjacent lug on the die body and a second handle attached to and extending to the rear of the body under said die body actuating handle.

' 5. A clinching and crimping tool of the character described in claim 3 wherein said die members are formed with an elongated cut away portion in one corner thereof at their lower end adjacent said first and second cutting and bending portions and said body has a boss extending therefrom into said die receiving passageway adjacent the lower face of the elongated slot for receiving the f 8 edge of the .siding, said boss being in alignment with .the elongated cut away portion of the die such that the Tbosswill' support" the siding as said firstdi'e portion cuts and bends thereabout the boss, said boss having a curved-edge lying in alignment'with the lower faceof the elongated narrowsiding receiving slot, said first rectangular-like tab-portion being formed at one end thereof adjacentthe'bossas a curved portion whereby clearance is formed at the end of the first portion of the tab equal to the thickness of the mounting strip so that the first tab portion along its end adjacent the bottom of the mounting strip fits tightly thereagainst when the tab is completely cut and bent. V p

6. A clinching and crimping tool of the character described in claim 4 whe rein said body has an aperture extending intermediate and parallel to said die receiving passageways, a rod member reciprocable in said passageway and connected at its upper endto said bight of the die body for pressing against said siding to hold same tightly against said mounting strip as the dies complete the cutting and bending of the tabs about the edges of the mounting strip, and spring means disposed between said body-and said die body biasing the die body and dies into retracted position in said die receiving passageways.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Smith Jan. 6, 1953 

